Pre-Mass collections reinstated at churches

A Garda directive which saw restrictions placed on church gate collectors throughout Meath because of health and safety concerns has been reversed. There were protests from voluntary, community and sporting organisations last December when new rules were introduced confining collections to the end of Masses. Pre-Mass church gate collections were prohibited. At the time, Navan Garda Superintendent Michael Devine said that the decision had been taken in the interests of safety. He said members of the public had complained to the gardai about being stopped or delayed by collections at church gates. He added that people had been abandoning cars so as to give money to collectors and other people going into Masses were being slowed down. The superintendent rejected claims that the issue should have been discussed by the Joint Policing Committee, saying the issue concerned legislation and the issue of permits for collections was made at a divisional level for the whole of the county. Read the full story in this week's Meath Chronicle.